Little helpers from Nurserytime Hebburn honoured for their efforts in Friends of Hebburn Cemetery gaining Queen's Award

As reported by the Gazette, Friends of Hebburn Cemetery was honoured with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services for the group’s community efforts all around area.

But members magnanimously responded by stating would not have been possible without the help of others in the community – and chairman John Stewart took it on himself to get have certificates and medals created to present to those who have supported the group’s work.

Children at Nurserytime Hebburn in Victoria Road West are among those to receive them.

Their activities have included helping Friends of Hebburn Cemetery to collect two bin bags worth of litter around the area, and encouraging others to think twice before dropping rubbish.

Elena Wood, manager of Nurserytime Hebburn, said: “The children have been given certificates of appreciation for their work within the cemetery.

"The children have been doing a range of activities including planting, gardening to take care of the flowers and litter picking. The children take great pride in their cemetery trips and looking after their environment."

Hebburn’s neighbourhood policing team were also among those to have been thanked and receive awards from the Friends of Hebburn Cemetery.

The group launched in 2017 to help stop vandalism at the cemetery and have since played a key role in supporting the Hebburn community and looking after the area.

Since launching, the group has been able to install CCTV at the cemetery, maintain graves, go on and regular litter picks and recently paid tribute to the Sir Tom Moore and the victims of the coronavirus pandemic with a memorial.

Created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen's coronation, The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities.

Two other groups in South Tyneside were given the award this year – the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and the NECA Community Garden, at the Brockley Avenue Allotments in South Shields.

The awards will be presented by the Lord Lieutenant in Tyne & Wear when the covid situation allows.

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